The present invention pertains to supporting dispatch call services through iDEN networks and more particularly to providing these dispatch call services through a plurality of non-iDEN networks.
Today dispatch call services are provided by specialized networks such as iDEN (integrated digital enhanced network). A dispatch call is one in which the originator selects a person or persons to which he wishes to speak and the target user's phone immediately transmits the words of the originator, without the ringing and answering of typical phone calls.
The iDEN system is a “closed system” which offers dispatch services to those customers who are currently in the iDEN TDMA (time division multiple access) network. Other networks such as code-division multiple access (CDMA), global system mobile (GSM), internet protocol (IP) and 802.11 type networks do not support dispatch call services at the present time. Non-iDEN subscribers wish to make dispatch calls to the existing customer base of iDEN subscribers and vice-versa.
The users of dispatch call services are typically organized into talk groups. Talk groups usually contain users that share a common mission, such as a work group. Work groups may be put together such that not all the users are uniformly iDEN or non-iDEN. Current dispatch call service systems are unable to facilitate the connection of such diverse users.
Dispatch systems have been provided to alleviate this problem; however, such patches involve many limitations including missed calls, poor audio quality, and gaps in speech.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide for dispatch call services between iDEN users and non-iDEN systems.